Sunday, December 16, 2018

“Advent” means “coming.” Christmas is coming. Jesus has come and is coming again.

During this year’s Advent season, we are using the Gospel of Matthew to answer the main question in the title of the treasured Christmas carol “What Child Is This?”

[LIGHT FIRST CANDLE AGAIN.]

Our first candle proclaimed that this child who was sleeping on Mary’s lap was “Immanuel.” As Isaiah predicted long before, the virgin gave birth to a child Who is “God-with-us.”

[LIGHT SECOND CANDLE AGAIN.]

Our second candle reminded us that this child for “whom shepherds guard and angels sing” is “The King of the Jews.” The Magi knew that the baby born in Bethlehem was true royalty. So they bowed down before Him and brought Him incense, gold, and myrrh–gifts fit for the King of Kings who brings salvation to His people.

[LIGHT THIRD CANDLE.]

The Bible also tells us that this child who lay “in such mean estate, where ox and ass were feeding” is “God’s Beloved Son.”

In the third chapter of his gospel, Matthew tells the story of Jesus’ baptism. Many years after His birth, Jesus came to Galilee to His relative, John, to be baptized. John tried to stop Him because he knew that Jesus was greater than he was, but Jesus in insisted.

Then when Jesus was baptized, the most extraordinary thing happened.

[READ MATTHEW 3:16-17.]

The voice from heaven answered the question once and for all. What Child is this? God the Father says, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

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About Me

I'm the happy husband of Heather (a Proverbs 31 mega-woman!), the glad father of the Fab Four (Robin, Andrew, Peter, and Isaac), the joyful pastor of Lanse Evangelical Free Church, a district leader in the awesome Allegheny District of the EFCA, book review coordinator of EFCA Today, and the author of a book on Resisting Gossip (CLC Publications, September 2013).

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Unless otherwise noted, the opinions expressed on Hot Orthodoxy are my own and not that of Lanse Free Church or anyone else. I am accountable to the elders and congregation of LEFC, but they don't necessarily agree with every single thing I think (and that's a healthy thing). I always say, "I have a million opinions, and they are free to the public!"

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